A look at gadget, game and geek happenings in the week ahead.
One of the most anticipated international launches this year has finally got a date: the iPad yesterday went on pre-order for nine countries around the world, including the UK, Germany and France, with a shipping date of 28 May, while Ireland along with several other countries, will be getting the coveted gadget that has already sold 1 million in the US by this July.
And non-Apple fanboys will be excited at the news that HP is rumoured to be planning the release of a tablet based on the Palm WebOS operating system following this acquisition of the ailing smartphone company for US$1.2bn in cash last week.
The HP Hurricane, say industry insiders, is set for release in the Q3 2010 and will sit alongside the Windows 7-based HP Slate.
Meanwhile, it looks as though Facebook by be planning to take on location-based social networking service Foursquare. AdAge is reporting that the site may be offering location-based status updates some time this month, with rumours that fast-food outlet McDonald’s is building a Facebook app to let customers check in at its various eateries.
By Marie Boran
Photo: Social-networking site Facebook may soon offer location-based status updates
